


A Gomez-Hart Kind of Thanksgiving

by UnicornAffair



Series: Emma Gomez-Hart [22]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, F/F, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Trans Character, Trans Zack Taylor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21546460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnicornAffair/pseuds/UnicornAffair
Summary: Now that Trini and Kimberly owned their own house, Trini volunteered to do the honors of hosting Thanksgiving.
Relationships: Kimberly Hart/Trini
Series: Emma Gomez-Hart [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1281236
Comments: 21
Kudos: 51





	A Gomez-Hart Kind of Thanksgiving

**Author's Note:**

> So, for those who don't know....this marks my 100th fic posted to Ao3. I wanted to do something special for that occasion and what better way than to celebrate a holiday? THIS holiday in particular. Thank you all so much for all of your support throughout the years in reading these fics, commenting, kudosing, finding me on tumblr and messaging me. I've grown up loving writing and there was a time where I just had missed it and made an account on a whim so...to be here has been such an incredible journey. 
> 
> <3 special shoutouts to Jadedsunshine, struppi017, and barbara-lazuli for all of your help when it came to constructing this one.
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone!!

Thanksgiving break was upon them, for a high school teacher...Trini Gomez-Hart was  _ counting _ down the days to salvation. Though a short week,  _ filled _ with extended family, it was still something to look forward to. The English teacher had a free period so she spent her time in the Academy’s teacher’s lounge. It was there she could catch up with her best friend at school, history teacher, and Emma’s basketball coach; Lauren Shiba. 

Trini knew of the other woman’s family situation...her parents died when she was young, the only family she had left was her brother who lived out in Japan teaching English to 13 year olds. “What’re you doing for the holiday?” She probed, if Lauren wasn’t doing much...she would always have a place at Trini and Kimberly’s dinner table. No one,  _ no one,  _ should be left out in the cold or feel alone. The Gomez-Hart household was a safe place for misfits. 

“Mm” Lauren set down her cup of coffee, “We will be going to Mia’s parents back in Panorama” Oof, talk about a fun drive. “Her brother Terry will be in town so it’ll be a nice small get together” She sighed, “Mia’s upset that her mother won’t let her do any of the meal prep, it’s a shame she’s such a good cook”

Trini had to bite her tongue. Mia Shiba? She was certainly  _ not _ good in the kitchen. At all. She couldn’t even bake cookies without them coming out rock hard with a weird aftertaste. 

“What’re you doing for the holiday break? Anything fun?” Lauren threw the question back at her co-worker, curious to how she would be spending Thanksgiving. 

“Well…” Unlike Lauren, she wouldn’t be spending this holiday with her in-laws, “Kimberly’s parents are taking a leave from work and going on a cruise” It was so very Ted and Maddy Hart to take an extravagant trip around the holidays for themselves. In Ted’s mind it was better to skip out on Thanksgiving and be able to spend Christmas with his daughter and company. “In the Mediterranean” Because when the Hart’s vacation they go  _ big.  _

“Wow that sounds amazing” Lauren’s out of country trips usually involve going to Japan to visit her brother Jayden. Their son Shane was a very lucky boy. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my in-laws, I lucked out when it comes to them...but I’m a little relieved that they won’t be in the country” 

Blue eyes squinted in confusion, so Trini continued to divulge her big Thanksgiving plans. “I volunteered our house to host this year. My mother’s been doing it for  _ so  _ long and now that Kimberly and I don’t live downtown we have the space” Trini  _ knew _ how much Kimberly wanted to show the house off now that they fully settled in. “I wanted to give her a bit of a break, a chance to sit back and  _ enjoy _ the holiday y’know? She’s done her time, I wanted a turn”

“I sense a but in there”

Ah Lauren all too wise.

“Oh it’s at my place alright, but my mom is  _ such _ a control freak” Trini heaved out a heavy sigh, melting into the couch, “She’s going to be annoying the hell out of me the whole time, I’m  _ sure.  _ That woman cannot let go of the reigns” She’s the  _ matriarch _ after all. Now that she also has the title of  _ Abuelita?  _ She’s only gained more power to try and rule everything related to family holiday. “Emma is on distraction duty”

“She’s...in second grade…”

“Exactly” Trini laughed, who better to distract June Gomez but a seven year old little girl? “The  _ wonder twins _ are flying in from LA tonight” Thankfully her father volunteered to get them, and June was more than welcoming to let them  _ stay _ at her place for the next couple of days. That pressure off of Trini’s shoulders was a relief, this way she only had to focus on Thanksgiving day. “All Gomez’s present and accounted for”

“How are your brothers doing?” Lauren didn’t miss a beat, she noticed the way Trini rolled her eyes at their little nickname. Perhaps out of jealousy...her mother did have a habit of spoiling the boys of the family, top it off with them being the  _ babies... _ well, Trini didn’t stand a chance.

“Michael has really settled down, I’m really proud of him. They both went to med school, Michael became an OBGYN” Something June would always be proud to brag about to strangers, her sons became  _ doctors.  _ Though, to her credit, she would also rave about how Trini became a teacher at such a prestigious school. “He married a  _ lovely _ woman, she’s a veterinarian for big animals...because of her job they’re actually in the process of moving down to San Diego” the cream of the crop when it comes to  _ zoos.  _ “Which my mom couldn’t be more thrilled about, see they just had  _ triplets”  _ Trini got her phone out to show Lauren a picture of Michael, his wife Alyssa, and their three boys...Trey, Troy and Tristan. The three of them had just reached their terrible twos. “So them moving closer to our hometown is something she’s excited for”

Trini and Kimberly had lived in San Diego for the longest time, Angel Grove was about an hour or so away...that didn’t stop June from visiting or babysitting whenever she could. Trini was  _ so _ fortunate that now that the family had moved to the suburb of Reefside, June was only twenty minutes away without any highway driving. Her parents were such a big help with Emma. 

“Annnd then there’s Gabe” Trini swiped next on her photos, “He took his medical degree to become a hot shot plastic surgeon.” While Michael wanted to settle down and have a family, Gabe was the complete opposite. He loved the LA life, being single, and making a fortune. It was telling, Michael wanted to bring babies into the world while Gabe did a lot of boob jobs for a living. Now, that wasn’t entirely fair to her little brother...while  _ most  _ of his clients  _ were  _ just out to perfect their bodies or change it in some fashion he did do his work with reconstructive surgery and gender reassignment. He was really making a name out there for himself, and LA...a very competitive market.

June had every reason to be proud of her three kids turning out how they did. 

“We’ll be together, and really at the end of the day...that’s what matters most” 

*****

Anyone who didn’t have a place to go for the holidays were welcome at the Gomez-Hart household. Zack of course was a given. He was practically a member of the family, especially after his mother had passed and he had no  _ blood _ relatives left. Kimberly had extended an invitation to her friend on the PTA, Amanda Clark. After a rocky start to their relationship, the two were starting to get close...knowing that Amanda and her three kids would be alone for the holiday was  _ not _ good enough. She wasn’t going to let that woman order out a Thanksgiving meal. No sir. 

Which left the last guest on the invitation as Emma’s doing. Trini said that _anyone_ was welcome...she didn’t _entirely_ mean it. There was absolutely nothing she could do about her precious second grader inviting her best friend and her mother over to their holiday celebration. Emma had such a big heart and she didn’t want the neighbour across the street to feel bad this holiday. Gia had recently gone through a rough patch, the father she had known and loved dropped her the instant he learned that she wasn’t his. Anything _positive_ in her life when it came to family had been cut off at the bone…

Though with Gia Moran came her mother  _ Rita  _ and  _ she _ was one person that Trini did  _ not _ want to interact with June or the rest of her family. She would have to figure out a way to run interference. 

This was all about damage control before it even happened.

_ “Relax” _ Kimberly stood behind her wife in the kitchen, running her hands along the Trini’s arms to try and soothe her. With it being the night before the big holiday, there was a  _ lot _ of prepwork that needed to be done if they wanted to eat at a decent time. Big family meant  _ big turkey,  _ and cooking a bird of that size was a  _ slow  _ game. “Everything is going to be okay”

“I don’t know how she did it” Trini had written out her abuela's famous stuffing recipe out on a piece of paper. “God, why the hell did I think this would be a good idea?” She shook her head, damn her for wanting to do something  _ nice _ for her family. 

“Why don’t you call your mother?” Kimberly suggested in a quiet tone, “I’m sure she’d love to be asked to help”

“What?  _ No, _ absolutely not” The shorter of the two women turned in Kimberly’s arms, “All she’s going to do is nitpick everything I do” Because with June, it was  _ her  _ way or the  _ highway.  _ “She’ll be backseat cooking in  _ my _ kitchen” The  _ idea _ of that was already starting to stress Trini out.

Trini could hear her mother’s disapproving voice in the back of her head. It made her second guess every movement...was this the best place to start? Maybe her grand plan of cooking order was wrong...if Trini blew her first time hosting Thanksgiving she’d never hear the end of it. 

“All she wants is to feel included” Kimberly knew June since high school, that woman had a hard time sitting back and letting all of the action happen around her. As a mother of a large family, June would always be the first one to try and help out, she thrived on it, “You know it’s going to be hard for her to  _ completely  _ let go”

The truth of the matter was that June  _ loved _ hosting, she took pride in providing a safe space for her kids, filled with warmth and a home cooked meal. She adored being in the kitchen, it was her  _ place.  _ All June wanted was to be useful…the more Trini would be open to her mother, the easier this whole holiday would be for  _ Kimberly.  _

“Besides” Kimberly was well aware of her lack of talent, “Unless you want to stay up until two in the morning...we’re going to need help” She was sly enough to slip her hand into Trini’s pocket to summon her cellphone, “I think she’d really appreciate the invitation”

Trini narrowed her eyes, begrudgingly taking the phone from her wife, she hated to admit it but… “I hate when you’re right”

“Mmm you love me” Kimberly was all too confident in herself when it came to the topic of her wife’s complicated relationship with her mother. She leaned down to capture her lips in a quick kiss. “Tell June I say hi”

*****

Trini knew in her heart that in order for this meal to go successfully she would need her mother’s help, but her pride wanted as much prepared as possible before she arrived. While little Emma watched television in the living room, Trini and Kimberly were busy dicing vegetables for the stuffing. What makes a turkey the best it can be is the stuffing after all. Trini wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she carried some fond memories of staying up the night before a big holiday. The Gomez family would visit June’s mother down in Texas, all of the women of the family would pitch in and do their part. 

“Kim, Kim...my love, you are killing me” Trini sighed, pulling a  _ chunk _ of celery out of the bowl her darling wife had deemed  _ good  _ enough, “What is  _ this?” _

Kimberly didn’t like her wife’s tone, a challenging brow arched, “You  _ want _ my help don’t you?”

She did. If Trini wanted to prove that she could  _ handle _ the sacred duty of hosting, she needed to be ahead of the schedule by the time her mother knocked on the front door. “You know my mom, it has to be perfect”

“Mmhmm” Was it June’s standards that were set so high? Or Trini’s? 

“Okay, okay. Here…” Trini brought out the bag of potatoes, Kimberly could be on peeling duty if she couldn't be trusted to dice vegetables properly. Something simple, something easy. “You can do this”

“Oh  _ can _ I?” Kimberly’s tone dripped with bite. She knew she wasn’t the  _ best _ in the kitchen, but she wasn’t a complete idiot. 

Trini sighed in aggravation, “Kimberly, please, she’s going to be here any minute and I already feel like I’m behind and…”

Kimberly had to stand up, comforting her nervous wreck of a wife with a kiss, “Relax, everything is going to go just fine” 

And then the doorbell rang and Kimberly could visibly see Trini tense up. Her mother was here.

Emma was the one to rush to the door, knowing full well that more members of the family were coming over. She was utterly ecstatic to celebrate the holidays, between Thanksgiving and Christmas those were the biggest staples in  _ all _ of the Gomez’s coming together. “Lita’s here! Lita’s here!” The eight year old opened the door and while she  _ wanted _ to give her Abuleita the biggest hug, she couldn’t. Both June and her Aunt Alyssa had their hands full. June had a shopping bag in one hand, and Trey in the other while Alyssa held the remaining triplets Troy and Tristian. 

“Give them some space sweetie” Trini had to face the music, Kimberly was more than happy to drop the potato and socialize. Kimberly Gomez-Hart was  _ not _ cut out for the kitchen. “Mom, I told you I  _ had _ everything” The first thing she noticed was the shopping bag in her mother’s arms. Immediately Trini’s defenses were up. Was she trying to weasel her way into saving Trini’s failed Thanksgiving.

“Oh, no that’s actually mine” Michael’s wife, Alyssa, spoke up as she set the two toddlers down into the living room. Trey was soon to join his brothers, and Emma was all too happy to sit them down and show them what basic crafts they were going to do tonight. Handprint Turkey paintings, a future refrigerator classic. “It’s for the ube roll cake, for Emma”

Emma perked up at the sound of her name, a wide smile on her face, she simply loved spending time with her Aunt Alyssa and her cousins. If anything, she took pleasure in being the oldest of the cousins and helping out caring for them. Alyssa also had the  _ coolest _ job as a doctor for zoo animals. Though the biggest reason why she loved her aunt so much was because she was filipina just like her, with Alyssa around she could learn about the country she was adopted from without feeling like an outsider to the family. Tonight would be their first opportunity to bake together, and give a little piece of Enrilé tradition to co-exist with the classic Gomez family dishes. Nothing says  _ love _ like homemade food after all. 

“I’ll take those” Kimberly took the bag from her mother in law, “We can start this after their paintings” Emma was looking forward to playing with her cousins tonight, Kimberly also wanted June and Trini to settle into the kitchen warzone before bringing a child in. “Make yourself at home”

“Thank you” Alyssa smiled at her sister in law. She knew that she had an ally in Kimberly when it came to their spouses. She entered the living room and sat down between her triplets, bless the woman who had to raise three at a time. Trini grew up with  _ twins _ and that was a handful. “What’ve we got here today?”

“Paint” Emma’s excitement grew by the second, “And glitter!”

“Oh ho ho, glitter yaaay” Alyssa tried to sound excited but boy, if there was  _ one _ thing that sucked to clean it was  _ glitter. _ “Let’s put something down on the carpet”

Kimberly didn’t know what was worse, handling four kids and an art project or sitting in the kitchen with her wife and mother-in law…

“Kim c’mon these potatoes won’t peel themselves” Trini called, already in full control freak mode. Add territorial to the list. June wasn’t the boss now. Not under this roof.

“Can we open some wine?” Kimberly asked, pleading with her eyes, if she was going to have to peel potatoes all night she at least wanted to  _ relax _ a little. 

“Oh wine sounds like a great idea” June clasped her hands together, glancing around the kitchen, she needed a drink to hold her tongue. Trini was barely  _ into _ making the stuffing, the vegetables hadn’t even been diced yet. “What size turkey did you get?”

“25 pounds” Trini may not have been up to par on her stuffing, but she’d be damned if she didn’t get her  _ main _ component correct. “Don’t worry I’ve been taking care of it” If everything else failed tomorrow she could walk away proud of  _ one _ thing. This was her  _ one _ thing, a perfectly cooked turkey. “I’ve already written down a schedule”

“Can I see it?” June bit her lip, it was hard to be in the roll of  _ watching _ when she had her own way of going about things. “25 pounds, how many of us do you think there are?”

“Weeellll” Trini laughed awkwardly, turning herself away to pull the list up on her phone, “Eighteen, technically for the turkey 17” Kimberly didn’t eat meat after all, “And it’s always better to have more than less”

_ “Eighteen”  _ June repeated, now the pressure was really high for Trini not to fall. 

“Obviously the three of us and Michael’s family makes 8 right there” Do toddlers count as three little people? Or one big one? “You, dad and Gabe” Who’s very single right now so no plus one to worry about, “Zack, of course”

_ “Of course”  _ June repeated, adamant that Zack would be invited to  _ all _ of the Gomez family functions. He was one of them now.

“Emma invited her little friend across the street so she and her mom are coming” Was all Trini could say about the  _ Rita  _ situation. “And one of Kimberly’s friends from the PTA, with her three kids”

Before June could even  _ ask,  _ Kimberly wanted to explain, “She’s had a rough year, and doesn’t really have anywhere else to go”

If there was one thing June could be proud of was that her daughter and her wife would reach out to those in need and feel included into the group. Whatever their background, whatever they were going to. Everyone had a spot at the Gomez-Hart table. 

“Just...don’t ask her about her husband”

“And make sure dad and the boys know that too” Trini reiterated, the last thing Amanda needed to face on a holiday was the ghost of her abusive relationships past. “Now Amanda said she would be bringing the pies, between her and Alyssa the desserts are  _ covered.”  _

Trini brought over the list so her mom could see all of the dishes she was  _ planning _ to get out by the time dinner would be ready. “So we still have, mashed potatoes, mac n’cheese, corn, green bean casserole” June’s brows arched at  _ that,  _ it was the  _ one _ thing Kimberly knew how to make well...by following the can’s instructions, “The cranberries, rolls,  _ sweet _ potatoes, rice and of course our stuffing”

Hello carbs and starches. With 18 people coming all of the sides had to be  _ big.  _

“It’s going to be okay, it’s about damage control and timing” June instructed, it was wise for Trini to start the night before. With dessert out of the way, it was one big aspect of the meal they didn’t even have to  _ think _ about. “Kimberly, you’re going to have to pick up the pace on peeling”

“Well, it’s not my fault these potatoes are all shaped dumb”

Trini glanced over to her mother, as if one look could explain  _ everything. Help. _

They weren’t going to get anywhere with Kimberly dragging. “Why don’t you trade places with Alyssa?” June suggested, as the mother in law she had more power than Trini did...she could get away with kicking her out of the kitchen. “Play with the kids?” 

Kimberly did her best to contain her excitement, being kicked out of the kitchen was the best thing that could have possibly happened to her. She made sure to pour herself a glass of wine before heading over to the kid zone to tap Alyssa out. 

“What would you like me to do?” Alyssa entered the kitchen, going to the sink first to wash the pink paint off of her hands.

_ “Potatoes”  _ Trini and June said at the same time, so quickly it scared Trini. God, was she turning into her mother?

“Gotcha”

Trini sat down across from her sister in law at the kitchen table, there was a high demand for potatoes so she would be giving her as much assistance as possible while June diced through vegetables like a machine. Trini herself was beasting through her small stack of potatoes, keeping ahead of Alyssa at a 3:1 ratio. “Wow, when did you get so good at this?”

June let out a laugh, “She’s had a  _ lot  _ of practice”

“Yeah well…” Trini scoffed, “A Hernandez woman’s duty is to stay in the kitchen for holiday meals. They had me peeling potatoes since I was freaking eight”

There was a damn good reason, between June, her sisters and their extended family the guest count was  _ high.  _ They needed all hands on deck.

“I remember the year when you were too cool for the kitchen”

“Stoop” Trini could recall times where June flat out tried to embarrass her as much as possible to Kimberly. Their relationship really had come a long way since high school. “But hey, I had a valid point. Why are we busting our asses when the men just sit and watch football? We’re not in Texas right now”

“Do you  _ really _ want your brothers in here?” June asked, dumping finely diced cubes of celery into a bowl, “Not worth the risk, we want it done right”

“Besides” Alyssa chimed in from where she was sitting, “I made sure the men are on cleanup duty, oh they’ll do their part” 

“Bless you” The  _ last _ thing Trini was going to want to do after slaving away on a turkey for so long was to clean up the mess. “It’s funny, there was a time where I hated all of this”

“What changed?” June asked, taking the moment of spending time with two out of three daughters to heart. 

“I did, I stopped being angry all the time” Trini shrugged, “I always hated going to Abuelita’s for Thanksgiving...I never felt like we really belonged there y’know? And we didn’t...that side of the family was always so close with one another that we became the _ other _ branch.” She glanced over to her mom, sighing, regretting how she almost didn’t even ask for help, “Honestly, it was when  _ you _ took over I started to like Thanksgiving again”

It wasn’t extended family anymore. The people she only saw a couple of times a year but  _ had _ to love because they were family. Sure they would be all over her social media and like family photos of the wife and kids, comment every now and again but they weren’t picking up the phone to call. They weren’t making the effort to come see them. Outside of a couple of cousins Trini felt like they didn’t  _ know _ her very well, not to mention some of the older members of the family haven’t taken too well to Kimberly and Emma. 

“I want Emma to have the best memories possible” Trini set down another peeled potato, “There’s going to be a day where she’s with a group of friends, or dating someone, and they’re all sharing family stories...I don’t want her friends to feel  _ bad _ for her” She sighed, “If that makes sense”

There were days in high school where Kimberly and Trini would bitch to Zack about their family holidays to firmly be reminded that they at least  _ have _ families. 

“And now I finally get to host myself” Like her mother and grandmother did before her, “I need this to go well” The stuffing had to be  _ just _ right. “I need this to be perfect”

June poured Trini a glass of wine, “It will be” She squeezed her daughter’s shoulder gently, “You’re doing great so far” June sat down with them so she could join them on the potatoes, she couldn’t dice them until they were all done, “The three of you kids growing up has been such an emotional roller coaster, but...the older you get the harder holidays can be” 

“My babies have grown up, they have degrees...Michael and Gabe are  _ doctors  _ now” June could hear Trini’s aggravated sigh, “You’re a  _ teacher,  _ I’m so proud of you all” Trini and Michael were  _ married _ now, they had kids of their own...maybe one day Gabe could catch up, “But kids are the blood of the holiday”

“Morbid much?” As an English teacher Trini very much took offense and surprise to that metaphor. 

“No, I understand what she means” Alyssa tried to explain her mother in law’s thoughts, “I think as we get older we’re more jaded about everything...the holidays become less special...kids are the magic. We go out of our way to make the days  _ everything _ for them...the biggest gift of all at Christmas is seeing their excitement...doing good for someone else. That’s what…” She paused, realizing she jumped a tangent, “It applies to the other holidays too” 

The Gomez family was growing now that there were three new little editions. Life had its way of pushing a reset button. 

“I know I wasn’t the  _ best _ mother at times but…”

Trini shook her head, knowing where this was going, “That’s in the past” They were both in the wrong. June had a hard time understanding her gay daughter, and Trini pushed and shut her out as much as possible...getting herself into big trouble. Sure, Michael and Gabriel Jr became doctors but Trini completely changed her life around. “Thank you guys for coming out and helping” 

Time had passed by quickly as the three women in the kitchen continued to prepare the Gomez famous stuffing. June and Trini went back and forth reminiscing on old Thanksgiving’s past while poking fun at Michael in front of his wife. Alyssa was part of their family now too, it was only right that she hear some of his old stories. Oh the day Michael thought that by wearing his Superman underwear he could fly...it was a story Trini’s brother would  _ never _ live down despite how hard he tried keeping it from Alyssa. At one point Emma ran into the kitchen to show the older women of the family her beautiful pink glittery sparkly turkey it was only a matter of time before June had to take the triplets home for bedtime. Alyssa could spend the night here, it gave her time to teach Emma how to make ube roll in peace.

“It’s nice Emma  _ has _ an opportunity like this” Kimberly watched Emma with her Aunt Alyssa, smiling, excited to learn and  _ so _ excited to bake and contribute something as important as a  _ dessert  _ to the family meal. “Alyssa’s really great with her” There was no doubt in Trini and Kimberly’s mind that Michael and Alyssa were suited to have kids. They only felt bad that poor Alyssa was saddled with  _ three _ boys. The men of the house completely outnumbered her…baking with Emma was a nice outlet, an opportunity that she may not have in the future with boys who don’t care.

“Are you okay?” Trini asked, doing her best to help clean up the remains of the handprint turkeys. 

“Look how happy she is” Kimberly and Trini were honest with Emma from the very start. With two mommies and no daddies there was bound to be questions...Emma  _ knew _ she was adopted into the Gomez-Hart family. Even if she wasn’t blood they loved her very, very much. To them blood didn’t matter. But Kimberly knew there would always be that sense of wanting to know where she came from, “She doesn’t get this way when I have to bake”

“Baby, and I mean this in the  _ nicest  _ possible way” Trini loved Kimberly with all of her heart, but facts are facts. Kimberly Hart was a certified disaster in the kitchen. Throughout college, their first apartment with one another, their second apartment...and now their first house, one thing hasn’t changed. If it’s not  _ basic _ it’s a danger zone. “Your version of baking is getting peel n’stick sugar cookies from the supermarket” Amanda learned the hard way that Kimberly was not worth asking to volunteer to bring something in for the bake sale.

“Hey...those cookies are  _ cute” _

“There’s a pack waiting in the fridge...isn’t there?”

Kimberly nodded her head, “Mhmm, and there's cute little turkeys on them so  _ there”  _ She stated definitely as if that proved some sort of point. Alyssa couldn’t stand to compete against the doughboy himself.

“Does this bother you?” Trini asked, wrapping her arms around Kimberly from behind, for the time being Trini could be the one to relax...to be the one to provide the comfort. 

“Yes and no...I get it. I  _ get it.”  _ Coming from a mixed background Kimberly understood the importance of celebrating her roots and where she came from. Emma  _ wasn’t _ Mexican, she wasn’t Indian nor was she Teddy boy’s fifty shades of white. “This is something  _ we _ can’t give her”

“She’s not choosing this over us y’know”

“I know” Kimberly knew how her tone was sounding so she wanted to quickly shut it down, “I know this is good for her” Emma could build memories with her favorite aunt Alyssa, maybe one day in the future it could be something she could share with her cousins as well. This year marked the first of many to come...a  _ new  _ tradition.

*****

The morning of Thanksgiving had finally arrived and if this bird would take around six hours to roast. Trini was prepared, having set a time to get up early enough to start the process, alarms were at the ready for basting times. Alyssa had spent the night in the guest room, still asleep from staying up late, traveling and handling three toddlers. To her a night away was a chance to  _ relax.  _ Emma was the one to grab Kimberly and drag her mom downstairs so she could watch the Macy’s Day Parade on the tv. 

Watching Emma bounce with excitement and clap along to the performers cemented that Trini made the right choice by volunteering to host Thanksgiving this year. When she was a kid, they were so on the move, dealing with airports on top of it. The holidays felt chaotic. Here Emma could wake up in her own bed, be in her own living room and watch the parade from the comfort of their home. While figuring out dinner was stressful and hosting could be a big responsibility, this was worth it. 

“What time is Gia coming over?” Emma turned to her mom, Kimberly had only taken a sip of her morning coffee...she did not have the energy yet to even compete with her daughter. “I want her to see the floats!” It was likely that Rita hadn’t even woken up yet, nor was she the type who  _ cared _ much about something like a parade. “Can I call her?”

“No sweetie, she’ll be over later” Kimberly didn’t want to wake the beast. While Kimberly got along with Rita just fine, she knew that the other woman and her behavior could stress out her wife. With Trini’s family around...Trini could embarrass, tense up, and get defensive far too easily. “Why don’t you you put on the outfit we bought you?”

“Okay!” Emma was quick to agree to that. The little girl rushed upstairs to change into her cute festive fall dress. Kimberly, (and June alike) loved shopping for little girl clothes, while the triplets were still cute...it wasn’t the same. Emma came back down in a brown dress, with orange sparkly print that read  _ thankful _ in a script on it. Her leggings underneath were white and orange stripes to go with the fall theme, complete with a matching bow for her hair...that bit she needed Kimberly’s help for. “Is Gia here yet?”

“...Not yet” Kimberly set Emma’s bow on her head, “Oh you look adorable” 

The doorbell rang and before Kimberly had a  _ chance _ to take a photo of her daughter, she was off to open the door. That was her self appointed way that she could help her mom’s host the holiday today. “Uncle Zack!” Emma excitedly cried out, then turning her whole body to face her mom to announce, “Uncle Zack is here!”

“Hey kiddo” He grinned, hoping that he would be the first one to arrive. “How’s Trini doing?”

“Stressed, but surviving” Kimberly came over to greet him, taking his leather jacket so she could hang it up in the closet. 

“Why didn’t you bring anything?” Emma asked with a pout as she followed the adults in. Aunt Alyssa brought ube roll cake, Amanda was bringing desserts...Gia told Emma that her mom would be providing drinks. It only sounded customary to help out on a day like today.

“Oh uhhhh” Zack rubbed the back of his neck, nervously glancing over to Kimberly, “Was I supposed to?”

_ “No”  _ Kimberly sighed, kids really had no mouth filter, “All you need to do is sit back and relax”

“Does Trini need help?”

“No she’s fine”

“Yes Trini needs help” Trini called from the kitchen at the exact moment her wife spoke to say otherwise. 

Zack walked passed the two Gomez-Hart girls to enter the kitchen, Trini hadn’t even changed out of her pajamas and was just  _ starting _ on the mashed potatoes. “What can I do?”

“Finish this and get the mashed potatoes in the crock pot so they stay warm” Trini could trust Zack in the kitchen, that he was fully capable of following her recipe. “I need to shower and get ready before-” Trini glanced upstairs at the sound of the water turning on, Alyssa was definitely up. Trini had grown very used to having a house of three, days of living under the Gomez roof with her brothers had long passed, “That’s fine, I’ll use the other bathroom” She sighed, it wouldn’t be the  _ same.  _ “The goal is for  _ all _ of this to be ready by noon of the first game so we can enjoy dessert while watching Dallas” In the Gomez household they were Dallas Cowboys fans all the way. Trini couldn’t take that away from the boys. 

The Cowboys faced the Buffalo Bills this year at 4:30 PM  _ Eastern Standard Time.  _ It meant out in California...they’d be playing at 1:30. The clock was working against her when it came to entertainment, the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears would be facing off  _ very _ soon due to the time change. 

“I have an alarm set” Trini pulled out the turkey baster, “Don’t be afraid to use this”

Zack scoffed out a laugh, “You two were” A joke like that was  _ not _ appreciated on Trini’s stress day, she had  _ no _ qualms punching his arm as she passed him to go get ready. Somethings in their relationship never changed since high school.

As Trini went upstairs, the doorbell rang again. Emma of course was quick to pop off of the couch to rush to the door. Her heart crushed when it still  _ wasn’t _ her best friend to arrive. “Ms. Clark is here”

Kimberly practically choked on her coffee, “Already?” Amanda beat the  _ Gomezs _ here? Kimberly, thankfully, had already gotten ready and looked presentable to have guests. “Heeey” She grabbed a pie from her son Chase, “I’ll take that off your hands”

“Hi Mrs. Gomez-Hart” The boy’s cheeks flushed red, his grin lopsided in Kimberly’s presence...she was practically a Disney princess standing right before him. “Happy Thanksgiving”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Chase...everyone”

“We’re watching the parade!” Emma announced joyfully, super excited that there would be kids her age to play with and be around. As much as she  _ ate up _ being the center of attention with the adults...they talked about boring stuff a lot. 

Since the boys weren’t holding anything anymore, Riley and Chase were the ones to go into the living room. Riley gleefully announcing, “It’s Santa!” Emma gasped, whipping her head back to the tv to see the jolly ol’soul in red and white. “He’s in the parade”

Kendall rolled her eyes, staying at her mother’s side. Kimberly led Amanda and her daughter to the kitchen where they could properly set down their pies. The ube roll caught Kendall’s attention immediately, “It’s purple” She had never seen a dessert quite like that before, it reminded her of a pumpkin roll in shape but those were very distinctly orange. Amanda brought three pies, a traditional pumpkin, an apple pie and a pecan pie.

“Oh hi” Amanda recognized Zack immediately as the one who saved her son’s birthday party, she smiled gently at him, “Happy Thanksgiving”

“Hi” Zack returned the simple greeting, he wasn’t expecting to see the single mom and her brood but it was a welcome surprise for him. “I ah” He averted his eyes to the task at hand, Trini would literally  _ murder _ him if he let a pretty girl distract him. “I’m on potato duty while Trini gets ready”

“Here let me help” Amanda offered, finding a pink apron to toss on...Kimberly wasn’t going to be using it any time soon after all. “Kendall, why don’t you go watch the parade with your brothers?”

“Uh huh” Kendall’s brow arched, her mom was awfully quick to push her out of the room. Maybe it was the spirit of the holiday and Thanksgiving but, Kendall was much smarter than to fall back on an assumption. 

Kimberly didn’t think the avoiding kitchen plan through, now all of the  _ adults _ were there and all of the children were out in the living room. With Santa making his appearance, the parade was ending and would play all over again as a part of a loop. All she wanted was her morning coffee in peace. 

“Can we watch Spongebob?” Riley asked, hopefully, despite his sister’s glare. 

“Mrs. Gomez-Hart doesn’t want to watch filth” Kendall folded her arms,  _ not _ excited at the premise of watching something as  _ dumb _ as Spongebob.

“Mrs. Gomez-Hart doesn’t wanna watch filth” Chase mimicked, in a high pitched voice, sticking his tongue out at Kendall for being such a funkiller. “This is why you don’t have any friends”

Kids were fighting kids were fighting. Kimberly quickly changed it to cartoon network over Nickelodeon...Kendall  _ was _ right, if she had to sit through a cartoon Spongebob was  _ not _ her first pick. “Here’s some Adventure Time” It didn’t matter, once the men got here they would take over the tv for football. The kids would only have power for so long.

Emma sat down next to Kendall, having taken Chase’s words against his older sister to heart. “I’ll be your friend” No one should be without a friend on Thanksgiving, or any other day of the year. Book loving Kendall was rough around the edges, she was hard for other kids to like...much less understand, but that never stopped Emma from reaching out. 

Alyssa and Trini both came downstairs at just the right moment, the doorbell rang once more. Trini had beaten her daughter to the punch by opening the door and greeting exactly who she expected; the rest of the Gomez family. The triplets were dressed in different fall colors so everyone could tell them apart. Trey wore gold, Troy wore brown, and Tristian was in orange. June was, of course, the first one inside; going down the line for hugs. By the time the Gomez family started entering the house, Emma was right there with her mother and Aunt. She loved Abuletia hugs. Alyssa and Michael shared a quick kiss in greeting before he handed off Trey to free up his arms. 

“Hey the Lions, Bears game is on” Gabriel announced, as the oldest member of the family here he had seniority on what was going to be on the television. He wanted his game, and to sit back and relax things holiday. 

“I’ve got money on this game” Gabe of course had money on all three games that night. Over the years, the twins became much easier to tell apart as their nature set into place. They didn’t  _ like _ being identical so they did whatever they could to individualize themselves. Michael let his facial hair grow out into a trimley beard, while Gabe was clean cut, and buzzed his hair to keep “sexy” in LA. “Whoa we’ve got a full house” He was expecting Emma and the triplets of course, but sitting on the couch were three little ones he had never seen before. “You boys like football?”

“I like baseball” Riley was the first to speak.

“Our dad wasn’t very into sports” Chase explained, only to be shushed by Kendall. Their father wasn’t supposed to be spoken about anymore. 

“Emma, if you want to take the Clark kids into the basement and play?” Kimberly suggested, Trini had told her family not to talk about Amanda’s ex-husband, but things happened...Kim wanted to do her best to control that. 

“But what about Gia?” A downtrodden Emma asked, her best friend still hadn’t arrived. All Riley and Chase heard was  _ play _ that would beat any sitting around and watching a sport they didn’t understand. 

“I’ll let you know as soon as she gets here” That was enough for Emma to guide the Clark kids down in the basement so they could have their privacy. Between a good behaving Emma and a stickler for the rules Kendall, Kimberly was sure that the four children would be  _ just fine.  _

Gabe, Michael, Alyssa, Kimberly and Gabriel could settle into the living room and take the kids place. Michael and Alyssa entertained the toddler triplets while trying to keep a conversation going with the other adults in the room. Kimberly was on coffee duty, making sure that her guests were comfortable, warm, and well caffeinated. 

June of course, made a beeline for the kitchen, Trini having to follow her mother’s stride. By the time they reached the kitchen, Zack and Amanda were laughing about something he had said. “Zachary” To June, Zack had become a third son to her. Whenever she got to see him was a good day. “And you must be Ms. Clark”

“Oh you can just call me Amanda” The blonde was sure to dust off her hand before offering to shake June’s, “Ms. Clark sounds  _ way _ too formal” 

“Now, and I mean this in the nicest way, but please get out of the kitchen” June shook her head, “You are both  _ guests,  _ we are not putting you to  _ work _ today”

“It’s not a problem at all, June” Zack wanted to be helpful for Trini’s sake, he knew how much June in control freak mode could stress her out. “I don’t mind”

"Nope, nope" June wasn't having it, she was already shooing both Zack and Amanda out of the kitchen. "Go watch the game with the rest of the  _ boys" _

It was such a simple statement, but one that  _ still _ could warm Zack's heart. Someone like Mrs. Gomez didn't hesitate to gender him the proper way, it meant the world. 

"If you're sure..."

"Of course I'm sure" June didn't hesitate to summon, "Alyssa! We need you in here" This was a Gomez women's affair now. No guests allowed in the kitchen, or Kimberly---no hindrances were allowed either. Since it was so early in the morning, there were only a couple of hours until June would be able to have herself some wine. After all of this hustle and bustle ...a glass of wine sounded incredible to Trini as well.

Like the calm before a hurricane, everything was as it should be. The kids were downstairs to their own devices, the women had dinner covered. Conversation was constantly flowing in the living room, Amanda found herself comfortable around new people with familiar faces like Kimberly and Zack at her side. The triplets were on their best behavior finding entertainment in one another rather than annoying the adults. The twins on the other hand were going back and forth trying to outdo one another for their big medical stories, no matter the age the two boys were always competitive. 

The doorbell rang once more. Before little Emma could rush up the stairs, or for Kimberly to turn and get off the couch, the door swung wide open. The last of the guests had arrived. Rita Moran entered the house wearing a black dress with far too much cleavage for a family function, a box in her hand. “Now the party real party has arrived”

“Here let me help you with that” Zack was quick to be the gentleman and grab the large box in her hands, it certainly wasn’t a pie, he gazed up to Rita in surprise, “What’s in this?”

“Alcohol, duh” Rita was  _ not  _ going to survive off of wine, no way, this was a holiday for indulging. “For festive cocktails. Martinis, Moijtos, Mimosa’s. I’ve got it covered” A lot of apple cider flavored drinks were in her repertoire today. She followed Zack into the kitchen to mix her first drink, she felt like she would strongly need it to get through the day.

Gabe watched in awe, a smile creeping on his face...a woman who brought a party pack of booze to a family function was certainly  _ not _ single. Color him intrigued. Thanksgiving just got a little more exciting for the young man. Kimberly could see the dangerous glint in his eye, for Trini’s sake she grabbed her brother in law’s shirt and pointed a warning finger, “Don’t even  _ think _ about it”

Too late. “I’m getting a martini” 

“Gia!” Emma had finally come up the stairs, engulfing her best friend in the biggest of hugs. The little girl was so excited to be spending her first holiday at home with her closest friend and family. She took Gia by the hand, “I want you to meet my family...this is my aunt Alyssa my uncle Michael” She pouted as Gabe walked by, “Uncle Gabe, my abuilto annnnd my little cousins Trey, Troy and Tristian” Gia tried her best to smile, but seeing three little identical boys was a bit unnerving to her. “Aren’t they the cutest?”

“Uh...yeah....”

In the kitchen, Trini immediately noticed trouble coming her way when Rita started to set up a mini bar in her prep area and Gabe was not too far on her tail. Considering that Gia was the product of Rita  _ celebrating _ her divorce and going down to the beach for spring break to hook up with  _ college guys... _ she liked her men young. Nope. Nope. Nope. As soon as the thought of  _ that _ combination popped into her head she hated it. No.  _ No.  _ NO!

“So….”

Out of the corner of her eye, Trini noticed Kimberly nudge Emma. The little 8 year old girl came running into the kitchen to tug on Gabe’s shirt, “Can we go outside and play?”

Gabe had just gotten his martini from the devil woman, but sighed, he couldn’t say  _ no _ to someone as sweet as Emma. “Sure why don’t you get Uncle Mikey and the other kids and we’ll play some soccer in the backyard” He suggested, kicking a ball around seemed like an easy enough game for the likes of Emma, Gia as well as the Clark kids.

“It’s Thanksgiving” Gia followed Emma into the kitchen, she pointed to the tv the men were watching. Detroit didn’t have much of a chance against Chicago. “We should play football”

_ “Touch  _ football” Trini  _ immediately _ suggested. She knew that Gia would be on Emma’s team no matter what, but that would leave Chase and Riley...two boys on the opposing team. Tackle football sounded like an accident waiting to happen.

“Pussy” Rita mumbled under her breath, taking a long sip of an apple cider mojito.

“They’re  _ eight”  _ This was Trini’s house, she was  _ not _ going to budge on the safety of the kids. No hospital trips this Thanksgiving, that would automatically deem her a failure. 

“Eh, they bounce right back” Rita shrugged. Of course she didn’t have a problem with it, her kid was probably the most aggressive of the lot.

“Did I hear football?” Zack was the next to pop into the kitchen, he stood in front of Rita, quietly asking for two apple cider mimosas for himself and...if Trini were to guess by the drink of choice, Amanda. “I’ll play”

“Yaaay!” As quick as Emma was to enter the kitchen, she was quick to leave. She was on a mission to gather the other kids as well as to  _ find _ a football in the garage. With Gia at her side though, she was sure that the blonde would be able to even strongarm Kendall to play. 

To Trini’s surprise Amanda elected to go out into the backyard and play some football as well, for being a newcomer around the Gomez brood, she was holding her own weight well. Kimberly and Gabriel were then left in charge of the triplets...one day they’d be old enough to join the game and  _ really _ elevate it to a competitive space. June and Alyssa had fun watching from the kitchen window, making comments about how the twins interacted with kids. Gabe and Michael had come a long way in life.

Trini took the moment of distraction to pull Rita into the hallway, “You are a guest in my home today, with my  _ family.  _ I want you to be on your  _ best _ behavior” Trini was far too used to Rita’s bullshit, and while it was annoying, she dealt with it. Now? June was here, the  _ twins _ and Michael’s children were here. “Got it?”

“Is that your best  _ teacher voice?”  _ Rita couldn’t help but laugh, Trini was too short to be so stern with her, “I’m a delight” She brought festive cocktails.

“You’re a menace” 

“You have  _ nothing _ to worry about” Rita could tell that Trini was far too tense, and more uptight than usual, “Can I offer you a mojito?” 

Trini wanted a drink, oh how much she would  _ love _ a drink in this very moment, “Once this damn bird is out of the oven and carved  _ yes,  _ I would  _ love _ a fucking mojito” Rita started to pat Trini’s back in a  _ there there  _ fashion. “And stay the hell away from Gabe”

Rita recoiled her hand and feigned innocence, “I have no idea what you’re talking about”

“Oh cut the bullshit, I know your type” June wasn’t in earshot, thankfully. “Young, overconfident,  _ rich.”  _

“Mmm” Rita tapped her chin, “That  _ does _ sound like my type” Rita originally seduced a young confident software engineer in Zordon, the man went on to own his own company. Divorcing him set her free to do whoever she wanted. “Hmmm”

Was she actually considering it? 

Of course she was.

_ Of course she was.  _

“Stop thinking about it. That is my  _ brother”  _

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I read that portion of the bff manual” Rita knew there really wasn’t anything Trini could  _ do _ about the situation. Gabe was an adult, he went through medical school and became a  _ surgeon.  _ He could make his own dumb mistakes.

Trini gritted her teeth and exhaled, she had to think on the spot. There was a way to spare her from the possibility of Gabe and Rita from...ew. “Would you rather have sex, or money?”

“Can I have sex  _ on _ the money?”

Trini frowned.

Rita’s brows furrowed in confusion at Trini’s expression.

A moment of silence lingered for far too long.

“....Am I not playing this hypothetical game right?”

“Michael’s looking to move out of the city now that his family has expanded” So the real question was, what was more important to Rita? A one night stand, or a healthy commission from a  _ doctor.  _ “I’ll leave you to think about it” Trini had a  _ turkey _ to attend to.

Kimberly was able to catch Trini as she left the hallway, but before she re-entered the kitchen, “Are you okay?”

Trini nodded her head, she thought she handled that well enough. “Yeah, I’ll be okay…” She leaned up to give her wife a peck on the lips, “Thank you for earlier”

“I know how to damage control” Kimberly may not be the best in the kitchen, but if the only thing she did this holiday was to cockblock Gabe from getting anywhere near Rita then it’d be a good day. Heck, this would be great practice for when Emma got older… “Is dinner almost ready?”

Trini checked her alarms that she had set, everything was going along schedule. “Give it about an hour or so?”

“Mmm, perfect” Kimberly decided that it was late  _ enough _ in the morning, and that it was a holiday, she was going to have a Thanksgiving mimosa.

Outside the family was out having a blast playing football. The twins had decided to take roles as team leaders. Amanda went to Michael while Gabe was quick to choose Zack for his team. Gabe also chose Gia and Chase while Michael had the rest in Riley, Kendall and Emma. Michael was doing his best to get Kendall to be motivated to play and not sit on the sidelines and watch. Chase, had taken well to Gabe as he saw him as the coolest adult there. The little boy wanted some expert advice on how to get girls to pay attention to him. 

Whenever Emma would get near the other team Gia would make sure she would be the one to gently tap her for the down. Chase and Riley on the other hand played rough, as brothers do, having no qualms pushing one another. On a run, Amanda lost her footing; and Zack in an attempt to tag her down had to catch her, the two laughing the entire time. 

Time flew when having fun, or when under stress. The last hour was the most important hour of the meal to get all of the side dishes warm and to perfection. Alyssa made for a huge help as she washed dirty prep bowls as they went. Trini allowed her father to have the sacred duty of carving the turkey, a welcome break from having to babysit the triplets with Kimberly.

It was time for those outside to come in and wash up for the feast. Gabe was quick to go to the makeshift bar, wanting a chance to speak with Rita as he was so promptly cut off from her earlier. “So, do you have plans tonight?” 

Feeling Trini burn holes into the back of her head with the harsh glare sent her way, “Oh” She took the attention in stride, lowering her voice, “I am  _ way _ out of your league” Rita lightly patted the side of Gabe’s face, knowing full well that playing hard to get would work out later in her favor. As for now, she rejected his advances...she was  _ supposed _ to be on her best behavior after all. With Michael being a potential client, she’d rather focus on the opportunity to make money. 

Everyone started to take their seats, one long dining table for adults, and a card table set up for the five kids. Alyssa and Michael took the end of the “adult table” in order to feed and keep the triplets on their best behavior. So far they were having a great day in that department, once they were fed, the three would have their salvation in nap time.

“So,  _ Zachary” _ June focused her attention onto the young man, being in the kitchen all morning made it impossible to catch up with her third son, “When are you going to bring home a nice girl?” And there it was, the mac and cheese hadn’t even been passed around the table and June was already asking the hard hitting questions. 

Zack expected Gabe to be the one to be under fire for not having a date, “Oh ah” His eyes went wide, his cheeks flushed red, “Well uh…” He glanced over to his two best friends, hoping that they could dig him out of this line of questioning. Dating was never the  _ easiest _ for him after all. “I’m keeping my options open” 

“Mmhmm, well I’m not getting any younger” Really the one thing that would make June happiest in this world was to see her kids get married, to have a partner there with them on days when she wouldn’t be around. Now that she was a grandmother, that same sentiment applied to Emma and the triplets. 

“Mom” Trini’s tone was warning, god, she felt like she was back in high school. Once upon a time there was a day where her mother would ask her when she was bringing a nice boy home. “It’s Thanksgiving, can you not?”

“I’m  _ just _ curious” It wasn’t every day June had the opportunity to ask these sorts of questions in  _ person.  _ “Is it so  _ wrong _ to wish my children's happiness?”

“Aha speaking of that” Rita was the one to save the day by changing the subject, focusing her attention on one of the twins, “I heard you were looking to move” She honed in on him like a shark circling its prey. This right here was her best audience, “I could help make that transition easier” She could tell that this was their first  _ home _ purchase, Rita lowered her voice, “I don’t know how you’re handling  _ three _ kids at a time. One is a pain in the ass enough” Amanda didn’t particularly take well to that comment, but, she wasn’t exactly Rita’s biggest fan. “If you move to a suburb, you’ll be closer to mom here” 

All Emma heard at her side of the table was that Uncle Michael and Aunt Alyssa were thinking of moving  _ closer.  _ “You could live in Reefside!” She got up out of her chair to walk over to her uncle, “Oh please please please” With them living in the city of San Diego, Emma hardly ever got to see them in person. She looked across the table to where Alyssa sat, giving her the best pouty face, puppy dog eyed combo. “That would mean we could bake more”

Kimberly didn’t want the pressure of an eight year old waive their choice, “Emma, sweetie you have to stay in your seat and finish your meal”

“Seriously, though” Trini leaned forward to try and make eye contact with her brother, “Mom makes for a great babysitter in a pinch” She understood the importance of a young couple needing time  _ away _ from their young kids, and the pressure of their work. If it weren’t for June and Zack, Trini and Kimberly wouldn’t nearly have as much time to get out and go on date nights. “You could enroll in Eastland…”

Michael didn’t want to make a choice right here and now, but being closer to his mother and sister had it’s perks. “Do you have a card?” He asked, Rita obviously knew what she was talking about. 

“Oh man, I don’t wanna talk about moving” Gabe sighed, “I’m really going to miss Mikey and the trips” 

“Are you going to miss them or...you using the triplets to try and pick up women?” 

“My apartment doesn’t let me have a dog so…” He laughed, “What can I say? Women love babies, and puppies...so…” 

“Mom!” Chase exclaimed, taking Gabe’s word as  _ fact,  _ “Can  _ we _ get a dog?”

_ “No.”  _ Both Kendall and Amanda shot that down as quickly as possible. Eight year old Chase wasn’t nearly responsible enough for a  _ pet _ just yet. 

“Zack” June shook her head, “You see why you’re my only hope?” 

Gabriel was amused by this conversation but he didn’t  _ dare _ say a word with his wife sitting next to him. He was far too busy enjoying the food. The kids moved on from whatever dumb boring thing the adults were going on about. Thanksgiving holiday was a special time for families to  _ take _ the time to  _ stop  _ and spend one good meal with one another. A chance to catch up on lost days. Conversation between the adults flowed from work stories, past Thanksgiving traditions, the kids, making sure the likes of Amanda and Rita were included by asking them safe bits and pieces from their past. 

“You did an amazing job” Gabriel was the first to compliment Trini’s meal, at the end of the day June and Alyssa were only there to help...she was the glue that made this all work out. “Is it safe to say you’ll host next year?”

Trini glanced over to Michael, if he was thinking about moving into the suburbs this was his chance to step up and say that he’d like to host. As if he reverted back to his ten year old self, the man looked nervous, subtly shaking his head from side to side. He did  _ not _ want that responsibility. “We’d be happy to” Trini didn’t mind, the jitters of the first one were now out of her system. She was damn sure to make herself a cocktail in celebration. 

Since the girls stressed out during the day, it was only right that the boys were responsible for the cleaning and packing of the leftovers. Everyone ate so much that they needed the time to digest before even thinking about desserts. Amanda knew how antsy Gabriel was that his game was about to be on, that she volunteered to take his place. June would have put a stop to it, as Amanda was most certainly a guest...but seeing her washing dishes with Zack, she decided it was her best place  _ not _ to meddle for once. 

Until it was dessert time, Emma took Gia, Chase and Riley down to the basement to continue their game while Kendall elected to stay upstairs with the adults to watch tv. Alyssa put three very sleepy toddlers upstairs to the guest room so they could have a nap. Kimberly and Rita hit it off nicely at the makeshift mini bar. Really, all Trini wanted to do was kick back and watch her Dallas Cowboys take on the Buffalo Bills and have a beer with her family. Dinner went smoothly, she could now relax, and not have to worry about a  _ damn thing.  _ Ah, success. 

The Gomez-Hart house was warm, filled with both family and friends and new memories. Emma was  _ ecstatic _ to show off the brilliant purple ube roll cake, she was so proud of how it turned out and for  _ once _ she could teach Kendall something that she didn’t know. Amanda could have a place to come where she could feel  _ safe,  _ and not have to stress about discussing her past. Rita, well, spending her day here meant she didn’t have to take Gia to the strip club to visit her sister. Life and time always went by, but having her brothers brought her back to a time when they were younger. 

At the end of the evening it was June who approached her daughter, giving her a hug. “I’m so proud of you” It was a moment like this where June could step back and see how far she had come, how much she had grown. “I had so much fun today...we don’t get together enough, with Michael getting married…and Gabe...well...” While Gabe’s love life seemed hopeless, Michael had to accommodate for his in-laws, “Who knows how many holidays we’ll  _ all  _ be together under one roof”

“I know…”

“But, while you  _ may _ have a claim to Thanksgiving” June stood back and smiled, “You  _ can’t _ have Christmas”

No, no Trini wouldn’t  _ dream _ of taking  _ Christmas _ hosting from a grandmother...she was more than happy to take over Thanksgiving for the future of the Gomez family. The torch had passed from grandmother to mother, and now mother to daughter. One day she would have the honor of passing it on to Emma...the circle of life. 

This was the start of  _ many  _ Gomez-Hart Thanksgivings to come.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: The ranger additions to this universe are Alyssa Enrile, the white Wild Force ranger and the triplets are based off of the original gold ranger from ZEO. Trey of Triforia.


End file.
